


Asit Tal-eb

by Toshi_Nama



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Relationship, Epistolary, F/M, Strangers to Lovers, Trading Favors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toshi_Nama/pseuds/Toshi_Nama
Summary: "No. I will NOT meet with him. You're not serious, are you? 'Hey, Adaar - I know your existence is an affront to their whole philosophy and oh by the way you just sunk - literally - any hope of alliance, but why don't you talk with the head of the Qunari army?' Do you even realize what you're saying?"Josephine sighed. "I'm sure there is a way...""NO."
Relationships: Female Adaar/Sten
Comments: 9
Kudos: 14
Collections: Black Emporium 2020





	Asit Tal-eb

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keita52](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keita52/gifts).



Ruffles

You weren’t wrong - that couldn’t have gone worse if someone tried to sabotage it. Look, I don’t know what to say. Everyone knows that (Adaar) is just not that into the Qun, and watching Tiny have to throw two assassins off the mountain didn’t help...assassins that Sister Nightingale didn’t catch, and so her insistence that she can trust the Arishok is hard to believe.

<sighs> Fine. I can feel your disappointment from here, right as you’re reading this. I’ll do what I can. No promises, but I know a bit about the Arishok. It’s probably why he came here personally. Whatever you  _ think  _ you know about the Qunari, reconsider it. He’s...well, he’s more like Tiny than anyone will admit,  _ including  _ him. Let’s leave it at that.

Toodles,

Varric

~~

(recovered from a personal diary)

**The Arishok himself shows up? _That’s_ not suspicious at all. Well, if he knew about me, he didn’t admit it. Probably didn’t - that’s not exactly something the Ben Hassrath will go telling another member of the Triumvirate. I saw the look he gave the Boss, though. Looks like all the old notes and speculation about the Arishok are true.**

**He’d better hope his minder doesn’t realize.**

~~

_ Lord Tethras _

_ Whatever you said to the Inquisitor was perfect! She met with the Arishok over lunch, when she’d flatly refused to break bread with him previously. I cannot thank you enough.  _

_ … _

_ Yes, I’ll do what I can about the price of parchment, too. And ink. But no, I will  not  ‘pre-read’ your drafts. Ask Cassandra. _

_ Josephine _

~~

Leliana

Are you  _ certain  _ that the Arishok and Inquisitor should be traipsing around without a guard? Yes, I am aware he’s a head of state, but the ‘state’ happens to be an army. You’ve seen him, he might as well be an army - you’ve said it yourself.

I know you want to trust in his word of honor, but despite his assistance during the Blight, I am not so confident. Please allow me to send an escort of some sort. They’ll stay at a distance, since the purpose of this is privacy. I’ll even let you select one of the escorts.

Cullen

~~

Cullen

When you phrase things so politely, how could I say no? In return - let us say that it wasn’t  _ just  _ a discussion of the Qun that passed between the two? There was talk of Tevinter and the Fade, and Sten even  _ chuckled  _ once. Perhaps...oh, perhaps I should speak with Josie.

Lel

~~

(From Lady Montiliyet’s private papers)

_ I simply cannot believe it! The Arishok came and the Inquisitor wanted nothing to do with him or anything of the Qun. Not until Varric spoke to her, at least. And then! Somehow, the Arishok’s visit was extended ‘as the Qun demands’ so he could ‘better understand what the Inquisition’s intent is.’  But!  The Arishok is  much  less convoluted than the Ariqun’s messengers, and is almost relaxed. I should be careful, however, especially as the Inquisitor has begun having ‘private negotiations’ along Skyhold’s ranges on a daily basis! It is more than simply negotiations, and I cannot say what I think of this. _

_ In other, less fraught business, today also marked three months after the fall of Haven. Maker guard their souls: Cullen requested that the Inquisition have some ceremony for those lost to Corypheus. I must remember to bring that up at the next council meeting, as well as rumors of discontent within the Chantry again. _

**

(translated from Qunlat)

To the (intelligible) Triumvirate

Abandoning the approved alliance seems foolish. This Vashoth has wisdom, even if her eyes have not been opened by the Qun. You wish me back, but I say as Arishok it is a demand of the Qun to inspect the forces under the banner of the Vashoth. I knew Fereldan’s strength from a decade ago, but there have been no assessments otherwise, or from one of the Antaam rather than the Ben Hassrath. It is my duty. I will return (intelligible).

Arishok

~~

(another note in the same angular handwriting, in Trade)

King Alistair

Each time I leave Par Vollen, my certainty in the Qun is shaken. That such certain, skilled people seem to exist without its guidance is an impossibility. Basalit-an are supposed to be rare. Yet she...this Inquisitor is as impressive as you said.

I can not visit Ferelden. I stray too far from my purpose already.

~~

Can you  _ believe  _ it? I suppose you can - of course the two oxen would wind up sharing a room.  _ Scandalous,  _ even if he doesn’t have horns and is some sort of ‘dignitary.’ I swear, what is this world coming to?

M

~~

Marcus

Will you shut up already? I know you don’t like the fact Andraste picked a Qunari for a Herald, but she’s done good things - and certainly shut up Korin and his power grabs. Plus she showed up the whole Orlesian Court. For a simple Fereldan, that’s all I need to know she’s good people. And if she’s bedding this Ari-whatever, then so’s he.

~~


End file.
